Predetermining counter with resetting controlled switch closing means



J a HOYE 2,581,859

RESETTING CONTROLLED SWITCH CLOSING MEANS 2 SHEETS SHEET 1 Jan. 8, 1952 PREDETERMINING COUNTER WITH Filed June 27, 1950 j 6 T 77 38 A5 Z5 /7 H 5 S M Q ATTORNEYG Jan. 8, 1952 J. B. HOYE 2,581,859

' PREDETERMINING COUNTER WITH RESETTING CONTROLLED SWITCH CLOSING MEANS Filed June 27, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 swim kw JAMES 5. H0 YE ATTO R N EYS Patented Jan. 8, 1952 PREDETERIVIININ G COUNTER WITH RESET- TING CONTROLLED SWITCH. CLOSING MEANS James B. Hoye, Hartford, Conn., assignor to Veeder-Root Incorporated, Hartford, Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Application June 27, 1950, Serial No. 170,504

Claims.

' The present invention relates to counters and more particularly to an improvement in the switch control members of a high speed predetermining counter of the type disclosed in the Harvey N. Bliss Patent No. 2,159,314, granted May 23, 1939.

In counter mechanisms of the type to which the present invention is directed, the arrangement is such that the counter may be attached to an associated mechanism such as a loom or the like and can be set to halt the Output of the associated mechanism upon the completion of a predetermined number of counting operations. Thereafter the counting mechanism can be reset and the resetting automatically conditions the associated apparatus for repeating the said predetermined number of counting operations.

It is an aim of the present invention to provide an improved counter of the type referred to in which the resetting operation is improved so that it is ensured that the counter will be accurately reset to zero without error and to further ensure that the repeat operation of the associated apparatus will not be initiated until the resetting of the counter is fully completed.

A further aim of the invention is to provide a device of the character described wherein the mechanism for closing an associated control switch will not be operated until the very completion of the resetting operation and yet this anism which is easy to fabricate and assemble and which will operate over long periods of time without failure and without error.

Other objects will be in part obvious, and in part pointed out more in detail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a high speed counter of the predetermining type embodying the present invention, the predetermining number wheels being shown in the zero position and the casing being broken away to show the interior of the device,

Fig.2 is a plan view of the counter shown in Fig. 1 with the cover removed.

Fig. 3 is an end cross-sectional view taken along the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 i a cross-sectional view taken along the line 44 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 55 of Fig. 1, the predetermining number wheels being in other than zero position.

As mentioned above, the present invention is an improvement upon a high speed counter of the predetermining type as shown in the Bliss patent, supra, and reference may be had to this patent for any additional details of construction, 7

some of which are omitted from the present description in the interests of simplicity and brevity of presentation and which are not essential to an understanding of the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, the counter mech-,

anism of the present invention is mounted in a housing 10 of generally rectangular cross section and having side plates H and I2. Journaled in the side plates H and I2 and extending across the counter is a reset shaft l3 provided at one outer end with a crank [4 by means of which the reset shaft may be manually rotated.

Mounted on the reset snart K3 are a plurality of counter wheel assemblies i5, each consisting of a number wheel 16 and an aouustable predetermimng wheel II. The counter wheel assemblies i5 are constructed as shown in the Harvey L. Spaunburg Patent No. 2,040,026 granted May 5, 1936, to which reference may be had 1011 details of construction. Normally, the number Wheels H5 and adjustable predetermining number wheels I! are connected together for simultaneous rotation. However, the angular position of the adjustable predetermining number wheels I? relative to their respective number wheels I6 may be adjusted. This is accomplished by moving the adjustable predetermining number wheel I! axially relative to the number wheel I6 and then rotating it to the selected position, whereupon the adjustable wheel ll may be released to return again into non-rotatable engagement relative to the number wheel [6.

The counter wheel assembly l5 of the first or lowest order which, in the specific embodiment shown in the drawings, is located at the righthand end of the counter as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, is driven in a continuous manner as distinguished from a step-by-step actuation through reducing gearing operated by the counter drive shaft [8. The counter drive shaft 18 is to be connected to an associated mechanism with which the counter is to be utilized, the connecting means and associated apparatus being no part 3 of the present invention and being omitted from the drawings. The counter drive shaft I8 extends generally parallel to the reset shaft I3 and is similarly journaled in the end plates II and I2 of the housing II). At the end of the shaft I8 adjacent the side plate I2 there is fixed a pinion I9 which is in mesh with a large gear 20 freely mounted on the reset shaft I3. Fixed to the large gear 20 is a pinion M which is in mesh with a large gear 22 loosely-mounted on the shaft I8. Fixed to the large gear 22..is a pinion 23 which is in mesh with a large gear 24 which is coupled to the driven gear 25 of the first counter wheel assembly I5, the driven gear 25 being fixed to the part of the number wheel TIE of the counter wheel assembly.

The remaining counter wheel assemblies I-ii 1.0:" higher order are driven from the first counter wheel assembly of lower order through usual transfer mechanism including mutilated pinions 26 mounted'on'an'auxiliary shaft 2 7 "and each meshing with the two-tooth "driving gear 28 of 'thepreceding counter wheel assembly It of lower order and also'with'the driven gear 25 of the succeeding counter "wheel assembly I5 ofhigher order. The usual notchedlocking disc 29 is provided adjacent each two-tooth driving gear'2'8 to prevent turning of the gears except during a'trans'fer operation. 'By the mechanism Tthus briefly described, the'in'itial or first counter wheelassembly I'5 of'lowest order is driven directlyby the counter drive shaft I8 at a reduced rate of speed and'the count registered'by this counter wheel assembly is transferred stepwise to the counter wheel assembly I5 ofhigher order, each turn of a counter wheel assembly I 5 of lower order being utilized to turn the succeeding counter wheel assemblyone-tenth turn.

The counter wheel assemblies 'I5 are provided with-the usualresetpawls (notshown) by means :of which the counting-mechanisms can bepicked up and returned .to a zero .position by rotation of the reset-shaft I3, :the resetshaft I3 being provided with a longitudinal resettinggroove 3U I'3is'turne'd ina 'r'esettingdirection, i. e. "clock- "wise'as viewed'in Fig. "3 of the drawings. In 'order to perform a "resetting operation, the operator must thrust inthe' -reset shaft I 3 against the action of spring 35 in "order to permit the pinto "clear the lug "'32. By reason of'the'incli'ned cam surface 34 'on thelug 32,itis ensured that the reset'shaft will be turned backwards, i. e. counter-clockwise as viewed in'FigJB,

through a small angle of rotation before theresetting operation can'be carrie'd'out. "This"slight backward rotation of the reset shaft ensures that all of the counter wheel assemblies Willbe picked up and returned "to initial starting'position. The return of the ccunting mechanisms to'initial starting positionis indicated by the abutment .of the pin'3I .againstthelug *32 and this effectively halts the resetting operation unless the operator again thrusts the reset shaft inwardly to again "clear the lug'i32. A so-called no-back pawl 39 is pivoted on shaft 21 "for engagement with notch 42 in cam .(to .be

described later) whichissecured to the -reset 4 shaft I3 to prevent reverse turning of the reset shaft past the lug 32.

Attached to the top of the housing Ill and pivoted at 36 is a cover 31 provided with a window 38 through which the readings on the counter wheel assemblies I5 "can 'be viewed. The

"cover 37 canbe'readily'pivotedto open position to permit the operator to change the position of *the adjustable predetermining counter wheels I? relativelto .thelrespective number wheels I6.

.Eastened to'the back of the housing I0 is an electric switch lilhaving an actuating member 4| extending through an aperture in the rear wall of thehousing Ill The switch 40 may be of any de- .sired'construction and in the specific embodiment the switch is operated by moving the actuating memb'er M axially. The actuating member-4| isbiased outwardly of the switch, i. e. toward the counter, which is the position of the switch when the contacts are closed. Conversely, when theactuating member '4 I is. pressed inward- 'ly of .the..switch,.i. e.-awayifrom the .counter, the .switchcoritacts are .open.

.As explained .in the ,prior 'Bliss Patent No.

2,159,314, referre'd'to above, the 'functionof'the counter. is to close the switch! at the end of a resetting operation and to reopenth'e switch All whenzanpredetermined number. ofcountingopera- .tions .has been completed. When the counter wheel assemblies [5 "have been reset to 'initial starting position, as discussed above, thenumber ing -.on the. adjustable .predetermining wheels II,

with theifinal. result that thepredetermined number .of counting operations will be s'hown eventually on the number wheels I6 at which time the adjustable predetermining number wheels I I .will register .zero.

:Freely mounted on ashaft '50 extending between the-side plates II and .I2 .is afsleeve 5I, having fixed .thereto -.at one .end an operating arm .52, whose. free end 153 .is. adapted to engage against the .end of .theswitch actuating member II. Thefree end 53 :is curved'to'act as :a cam so that, when the arm 52 is in.-the 'posi-tion shown in Fig..:3.of thedrawings, the switch '40 isheld. in open, position,..but when the arm .52 is moved counter-clockwise, as .viewedin Fig.3 'to I the positionshown in.Fig."5 ,.-it will permitthe switch actuating -member 4 I .to. move outwardly suflicien-tly to close the switch w.

Theoperatingarm 52 has fixed thereto amin .55 to which is connected 'oneend of .a .coilcspring -56 which extends around the shafts-50 and. has its opposite end :connected to-a screw .5I- fixed tothe :shaf-t 50. biased by the "coil spring #56 in :a direction .for

As I a result, the operating arm- 52 :is

closing the switch 40.

Pinned to the shaft 59 in side-by-siderelation- .ship with the arm 52athere'isprovided a control arm 60 having .an elongated notch .6 I in which .is received 'the pin .55 previously referred to as being fixed to=the earm-.52. =The=notchs6 I and pin .55 provide:a.- lost :motion connectionbetween the shaft 50 and operating arm '52.

The .-end=.of the z-shaftsfifl adjacent the aside plate II has fixed theretmamell cranks-63 which is urged in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 3 by a coil spring Bl extending around the shaft 50, having one end engaging the bell crank 53 and having the other end received in a notch 55 provided in a pin 66 extending from the rear wall of the housing Ill.

The bell crank 63 is adapted to be latched in the rotated position shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings by a latch 61 which is pivotally mounted on a shaft 68. Also pivoted on the shaft 68 is a frame 69 carrying a roller bar which is adapted to engage the peripheries of the predetermining number wheels IT. The frame 69 is biased in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 5 by the spring 1] attached at one end to the frame and at the other end to the rear of the housing Ill.

The peripheries of each of the predetermining number wheels I! are provided with a notch Ila which will receive the roller bar 10 when the predetermining number wheels I! register zero when viewed through the window 38. At all other times the notches Ila are not in alignment, thereby causing the roller bar 10 to ride up on the peripheries of the predetermining number wheels H.

The frame 69 is connected to the latch 61 by means of a pin 12 on the frame 69 which extends into an elongated slot 13 in the latch. The result of this lost motion connection between the frame 69 and the latch 61 is that the roller bar 10, and hence the frame 69, may be cammed outwardly by the peripheries of the predetermining number wheels 11 without changing the position of the latch 61, but when the roller bar 10 is received in the aligned notches [7a, the latch 61 will be positively driven to unlatching position. A spring 14 extending between the latch 61 and the roller bar 10 urges the latch 61 into latching position.

As previously mentioned, the number of counting operations to be performed is registered on the adjustable predetermining number wheels I1, and when the reading on these number wheels I1 is zero, the notches Ila are aligned, permitting the roller bar 10 to be received therein. Spring ll causes the roller bar 10 to enter the aligned notches Ila and the resulting motion of the frame 69 drives the latch 61 through the pin 12 and slot 13 connection previously described to unlatch the bell crank 63, permitting the latter to turn under the influence of spring 64, thus turning the shaft 50. The rotation of shaft 50 causes one end of the notch 6| to engage the pin 55 on the operating arm 52, thus moving the operating arm 52 to the open switch position, thus halting the operation of the associated mechanism.

When the counter is reset, as by turning the reset shaft l3 by means of the crank I4, as previously described, the roller bar 10 is first cammed out of the notches Ila. By reason of a lost motion connection between the roller bar frame 89 and the latch 61, there is no movement of the latch 61 required although the latch operating spring 14 is tensioned, thus urging the latch 61 into latching position. Fixed to the adjacent end of the resetting shaft [3, there is provided a cam 15 which engages the bellcrank 63 and earns the latter to latching position during the rotation of the reset shaft. As soon as the bell crank 63 is cammed to latching position, the latch 61 is immediately engaged therewith under the influence of spring 14.

The movement of the bell crank 53 to latching position, as previously mentioned, pivots the control arm 60 suificiently to permit the operating arm 52 to move to switch On position under the influence of spring 56. However, movement of the operating arm 52 is prevented by means of an arm 16 fastened to the opposite end of the sleeve 51 and engaging against the periphery of -a notched disc Tl fixed to the reset shaft l3. The notch 18 of the notched disc 11 is so positioned that it will receive the end of the arm 16 just at the very end of the resetting operation, which ensures that the switch 40 will not be closed until resetting has been completed. 7

As will be apparent, the reception of the end of arm 16 in the notch I8 of disc 11 closes the switch 40, thus setting the associated apparatus in operation for the repetition of the predeterminednumber of counting operations, and the operation of the associated mechanism will continue until notches l'la of the predetermining number wheels I! are again aligned, thereby repeating the cycle just described.

It thus will be seen that there has been pro-' vided, in accordance with the invention, an improved switch operating mechanism whereby the switch is not actuated until at the very end of the completion of a, resetting operation and at the very end of a counting operation. At the same time the bell crank 63 may be latched into operative position at any time during the resetting operation, thus making it unnecessary to design the cam 15 with close tolerances or so as to place excessive strain on the resetting mechanism or making theresetting mechanism hard to operate.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description shown in the accompanyin drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the language.

used in the following claims is intended to -cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a counter comprising a reset shaft, a plurality of number wheels on the shaft, means for driving the number wheels, and means effective when the reset shaft is turned for returning the number wheels to initial starting position, the combination therewith of means for operating an associated mechanism including a movably mounted actuating arm, means biasing the arm into a first position, means including a cam on the reset shaft for preventing movement of the actuating arm to said first position except when the reset shaft is turned to full reset position, a control member for the actuating means, means forming a lost motion connection between the control member and the actuating means whereby movement of the control member to a first position will move the actuating member to a second position and movement of the control member to a second position will permit the actuating member to move to said first position, means biasing the control member into said first position, means for latching the control member in said second position, means including prede termining means on the number wheels for una ate latching the. latching. means following completion ofa predetermined count,.and means operated by the resetshaft for. moving the control member. to latching position during, a resetting operation.

2. In a counter comprising. a reset shaft, a plurality of number wheels on the shaft, means for driving the number wheels, and means efiective when. the reset shaft is turned for returning the number wheels to initial starting position, the combination therewith ofa switch actuating member, means biasing'the member into switch closed position, means including a cam on the reset shaft for preventing movement of the switch actuating: member to switch closed position except when the reset shaft is turned to full reset position, a control member for the switch actuating member, means forming a lost motion connection between the control member and the actuating member whereby movement-of the control member to a first position will move the actuating member to switch open position and movement of the control member toa second position will permit the actuating member to move to switch closed position, means biasing'the control member into said first position, means for-latching the control member in said second position, meansv including predetermining. means on the number wheelsfor unlatching the latching means following completion of a predetermined count and means. operated by the reset shaft for movingthe control member to latching position: during aresetting operation.

, 3-..In a counter comprising a reset. shaft, a plurality of number wheels on. the shaft,.means for driving the number wheels, and means effective when the reset shaft is turned for. returning the number wheels to initial starting position, the combination therewith of a switch actuating member, means biasing themember into switch closed position, means comprising a cam on the reset shaft and a cam follower securedto the actuating memberfor preventing movement of the member to switch closed position except when the reset shaft is turned to full reset position, a control member for the switch actuating member, means comprisinga slot in one of the said members and a pin on the other of said members received in theslot forming a lostimotion con nection between the control member and the actuating member whereby movement of thecontrol member to a first position will move the actuating member to switch open position and movement of the control member to a second position will permit theactuating member to move. to switch closed position, means biasing.

the control member into said first position; a latch member normally holding the control memberin said second position, means includingpredetermining meansv on the number wheels for position, the combination therewith of aswltch 3 actuating member, means biasing the member into switch closed position, means comprising a notched disc on the reset shaft and an arm attached to the actuating memoer' for engaging the periphery'of the disc, saiddisc and arm being constructed and arranged so' that the actuating member is held in switch open position by engagement of the arm with the periphery of the disc except when the arm is received in the notch at the. completion'of a resetting operation, control means including, a control member and means forming a' lost motion connection between the control member and the actuating member whereby movement of the control member to a first position will move the actuating-member to switch open position and movement of the control member to a second position will permit the actuating member to move to switch closed position, means biasing the control member into said first position, latch-member normally holding said control means against movement of the control member into said first position, means including predetermining means on the number wheels for uni-latching thelatch upon completion of a predetermined count, and meansincluding a cam on the reset shaft for moving the control member to latching position during a resetting operation, 9

5; In a. predetermining counter comprising. a reset shaft, a plurality of operatively connected predetermining. number wheels each having, a notch in its periphery mounted on the reset shaft, a roller; bar having rollers engaging the peripheries. of said wheels. and adapted to be re ceived by said notches when the latter are in alignment, and means effective when the reset shaft is turned for returning the number wheels to an initial starting position, the. combination therewith of a switch actuating member, means biasing the member into switch closed position, means including a cam on the resetshaft for preventing movement of the switch acti'iating member to switch closed position exceptwhen the reset shaft is turned to full reset position, a control member for the switch actuatingmember, means forming a lost motion connection between the control member and the actuatingmemb'er whereby movement of the control member'to'a firstposition'will' move the actuating member to switch open'p'osition and m'cvemen't'of the control member to a second position will permit themtuating*membertomoveto switchclosed position, means biasing-the control memberintosaid-first position, means including a' latch for holding the control member in said second position, means operated by said rollerbar for tripping thela-tch when the rollers are received inthe notches of said wheels, andmeansincluding a cam on the reset shaft for moving the control member to latching position during a resetting operation.

. JAMES B; 1

' REFERENCES CITED The following references are of'record' in the file of thispatent: 1 

